Portable drilling rig



July 25, 1950 c. BURY PORTABLE DRILLING RIG Filed Sept. 20, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 25, 1950 C. BURY PORTABLE DRILLING RIG 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1947 INVENTOR.

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Patented July 25 1950 PORTABLE DRILLING RIG Charles Bury, Princeton, Ind., assignor to International Derrick and Dallas, Tex.

Equipment Company,

Application September 20, 1947, Serial No. 775,227

This invention relates to a portable hydraulic drilling rig such as may be conveniently transported as by truck, and particularly adaptable for core or exploratory drilling as for oil or water wells, mineral deposits, and the like. It re- 2 Claims. (Cl. 255-22) lates particularly to such rigs adaptable for mounting on a motor truck or similar vehicles for convenient transportaion in its entirety to and from the location. r

The principal feature of the invention resides in the hydraulic power system and the control therefor, said hydraulic power system and control being conveniently built into or mounted upon a truck bed for operation from a control station through a group of valve control levers, all operations being hydraulically actuated.

One feature of the invention resides in the pivotal mounting of the drilling mast with all operative drilling parts being associated and pivotally supported therewith n the truck bed so that in transportation the mast and operative parts may be hydraulically raised and lowered to and from drilling position, and wherein the mast is so constructed as to provide the hydraulic lines for controlling the drilling operation such as the raising and lowering of the rotary table through as much as a ten foot stroke, as well as transmitting the hydraulic power to hydraulically operated motors carried by the table for rotating the drill.

Another feature of the invention resides in the hydraulic power carried through the upper portion of the mast for raising and lowering the rotary table by means of a piston and cylinder action conveniently controlled through valves actuated from the control station to not only elevate the rotary table but exert controlled hydraulic pressure for feeding the drill into the ground.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a hydraulic lift for seating the mast whereby it may be raised to its vertical drilling position or lowered into its horizontal position for transporting from one location to another, said hydraulic lift being controlled from the control station on the truck. 7

A still further feature of the invention resides in providing a hydraulic control for the hoisting drum operating a hoisting cable passing over the top of the mast for raising the drill pipe after the drilling operation is completed.

A further feature of the invention resides in a a multiple hydraulic power source for cutting in and out of the system a booster motor which, when operated will increase the power and speed of operation to rapidly raise the'rotary table into position to install another drill section.

. 2 Other features of the invention will bemade apparent from the following specifications and the attached drawings. The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the" following description and claims: i i Fig. 1 is a side elevation showingthe drilling rig in its retracted or horizontal position carried by a truck for transportation. 1

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 showing the mast" elevated to its vertical drilling position. i

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the lower portion of the mast and rotary table in raised position. I

Fig. 4 isthe same as Fig. 3 showing the rotary table in its operativeposition.

Fig.5 is a diagrammatical layout of the hy-- draulic control.

In the drawings there is shown a motor truck including a truck bed 10 upon which is mounted hydraulic power units and controls thereforcas shown in Fig. 5, as will be more particularly de-' scribed in detail. At the rear of the truck bed there is provided a supporting frame H for hingedly mounting a drill mast l2. At theforward end of the truck there is provided a cradle [3 for receiving the forward end of the mast when in its horizontal position. The rear end of the truck bed is recessed to permit the mast to stand in vertical position when raised by the hydraulic jack l4. Said jack includes a cylinder pivotally anchored at its lower end upon the truck bedin which the piston 15 is hydraulically actuated. Said piston is connected by the piston rod is to one of the legs of the mast as indicated at H. l."hus, upon the piston l5 being hydraulically ace tuated, as hereinafter described, the mast may be raised or lowered to and from its vertical drill-. ing position through hydraulic control.

In raising the mast the cylinder 14 is charged with the hydraulic fluid entering its lower end through the line [8. It is lowered through-said fluid entering its upper end through the line l9. Said lines are controlled by the four way valve 20 actuated by the operating valve control lever 2| mounted on the truck bed at the operating station. Supplying the hydraulic power there is a tank 22 containing hydraulic fluid such as oil carried beneath the truck bed [0. r

Mounted on the truck bed there are a series of hydraulic pumps 23, 24, and 25 each having an intake 26, 21, and 28, respectively, extending into the tank. Said pumps are mounted in alignment to be driven by a common shaft 29 by a chain and sprocket drive indicated at 30, wherein the chain extends downwardly through thetruckbed to be driven by a power take-ofi from the vehicle motor, not shown. The pump 23 is connected by the line 3! through the relief valve 32 with the mast lift valve 20. The pump 24 acts as a booster pump to supplant both the pumps 23 and 25. It is connected by the line 33 through the relief valve 34 and booster .control'valve 35 with the mast lift valve 20 through the line '36, said line having a needle valve 31 and a gate valve 38 therein. Said line 36 is also provided with a return line 39 discharging back into the tank 22.

The mast carries a rotary table whi'hinclu'des the supporting plate 40 havingits endsslidably engaged with the tracks 4| extending-vertically of the mast to permit raising and lowering of the table while preventing rotation oithe supporting plate. Mounted on the supporting plate thereis a rotary table housing 42 in which the usual::rotary table is housed to receive and interlock with theupperend of 'the .drill section adapted .to extend through the opening 43in the plate 40. The rotary table is driven by apair of hydraulic-motors '44 and 45 which jointly drive the .table through a beveled gear and pinion 46, the driving pinion being keyed to the shaft 41, Fig. 5.

Each of the four legs of the mastis in the form of ahollow cylinder or pipe for conveying-the hydraulic fluid which operates to bothraise and lower the rotary table and drive the motors 44,15. The hydraulic fluid for raising andlowering the table is-transmitted through the hollow mast legs and 49. The mast leg-48 communicates with the top of a pair of cylinders 50, supported in the-upper portion of the'mast, the legs 49 communicating with the lower-ends of said cylinders 5035i through the cross pipe-52 and then-espective connections therewith 53, 54. Operating in each iof the cylinders 58, .5I there is a" piston :on the respective piston rods '55, '56. The hollow legs or hydraulic lines 48, 49 are connected through thefiexible hose :51, 58, respectively, to thehydraulic lift valve 59. The valve-.59 is'a four way :valve controlled by the control lever :30 mount-edon the truck bed H) at :the control stati'on. The valve 59 is connected -"with the hydraulicgpumpiz3 through the line 3 i ,relief valve 32, gate valve 38, and line 5! discharging .back into-the tank =22'through-th'e line-39. "The hydraulicfluid for accelerating the zraisingrof the table is received from the booster pump-24 thr'oughthe: booster valve '35, line .35, and:.line-=62.

"For driving the hydraulic motors 44, 45 the other two hollow legs-of themastnfl, 64 :are confor driving the motor in one direction and the line 84 for driving it in the other direction. The source of the power for operating the motor 88 through the valve 8| is derived from the pump 25 through the relief valve and line 85. Said valve is also connected by the line 86 to the booster valve 35 whereby the booster pump 24 may be throwninto the linefor adding power and speed of operation to the motor 80.

v:In operation, the mast is normally transported in horizontal position. At the location, the first 'step is toraise the mast. For this purpose the control lever :2| -is operated to direct fluid under :pressureafromzpump 23 into the lower end of the n'ected :by the:flexible-:hose-55, '56, respectively. to a. 7

the four way "motor valve 61 which :is controlled by the operating lever :68 mounted at the control station' on the truck-bed 11!. The valve-liT-is nonnected with :the hydraulic liquid source -.or tank 22 through the line-=69, the :relief valve "13, and

line '11 =.withithe:motor"25. Theleg'53 is connected by the ifiexible hose l2with the respective motors 4'4,*45, for driving them-in one direc'tion and the-hose T3.connects the-leg-4 withasaid Inotors for driving them in the: opposite direction.-

zFor. pullingzthe drill section frommheholevthere is provided-a hoisting-line comprising-the cable 15 having-secured to .its free enda hoisting plug as indicated at 16. said cable extending over .the sheave Hat the top of the. mast. :Said oable is woundaupon'the hoisting 'dru-m 3'8 rotatablysupported .by the brackets 7-9 on th'eztrucki'bed :10. Said hoisting-drum is driven by the hydraulic motor 116 controlled through the valve 8! which is operated'bythe IGVGI182. The valve :8! is-con--. nected with the :motor 80 through the line '83 cylinder 1:4. Upon-completion of the job the mast is lowered by. moving the control lever 2| to the opposite position introducing the liquid into the top for the cylinder. This movement may be speeded up through connecting in the booster pump :24 through the control valve 35. Suitable valve control is employed at. the lower end of'the cylinder l4toresist the downward movementof the mast and act inashock absorbing capacity.

UpOn the mast-having been raised the rotary table .42-iselevated to its uppermostposition by actuating the :lever (ill at the control station which,-through the valve 59 causes theiluid to be forced by the pump ID to the bottom of the respective cylinders 50,.5l. This-forces thepistons-and pistonrods 55, 55 upwardly, lifting the table. Thereupon, a drill section, which may comprisea ten foot drill pipe or auger, is inserted through the opening 43 inthe rotaryltableplate 48-and secured'to the rotary table by threading the pipe into a screw plug in the usual and well known manner. The lower end of thepipe is then locked in alignment by extending it through thelcollarill secured to thelower cross bars .of the mast.

.A-fterthe drill section is secured in place, it is rotatecl--.by .the rotary table through the driving action of-the hydraulic motors, 45. They are placed'in operation through the valve fi'l by operating the lever .58. However, in:th-is operation, while-the drill section is being rotated the rotary table is permitted .to move slowly downwardly under-control oi" the valve 59 until substantially resistance develops, in the drilling operation. After' such resistance develops the valve -.28 is actuated through the operation of lever 50 to apply rhydraulic pressure-at the I top of the'cylinderstorforce the rotary table downwardly. At this stagebothrotarymovement and downward thrust :is applied under hydraulic force upon the drill action.

.At this point it maybe.- necessary, where a line pipe is employed for wet or flush drilling, to use a sslush ,pump shown at=38, .and mounted upon the -.-truek bed 10. -.Said slushpump is drivenin any suitable-manner from .thepower-plant'of the trucklthrough the 'transmission indicated at 89. Water is fed there under pressure through the hose eflto-thetoproftthe swivel connection Bit-extending into the rotary table housing 42 .fonforoingzwaterinto thetop-of the drill pipe connected therein.

.Afterw-a section of pipe :has i been drilled down, the next step isto raise it by reversing the motors 44, 45 through operation of the-actuating leverzfiiizand valveifil. Thereupon theconnection is; backed 01T, disconnecting the drill pipe which stands at :the bottom of the hole. The rotary tableisthen elevated by operatingthe valve 59 through-.thelever iifl to cause'the piston rods -55, 56, to be elevated in-the oylindersnW, 5!, raising the rotary table to its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 4 to receive a new section of drill pipe or auger.

After the hole has \been drilled to the depth desired and for the purpose of removing the drill section, the swivel 91 is disconnected and set to one side; whereupon the hoisting plug 16 is threaded into the end of the pipe or auger. Thereupon, by operating the lever 82 the valve 8| is actuated to cause the hydraulic motor 80 and the hoisting drum "I8 to be driven in a direction to pull the pipe or auger from the hole. To permit of an accelerated action in hoistingthe pipe the booster motor 24 may be thrown into the system through the valve 35 increasing the power and speed of the motor 80.

The invention claimed is:

l. A portable drilling rig including a mast pivotally supported on a motor driven truck bed adapted to be raised and lowered between horizontal and vertical positions, said mast beingformed of tubular legs, a rotary table for receiving a drill section carried by said mast for movement thereon between raised and lowered positions, a pair of hydraulic motors operably connected with said table for rotating it, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the mast having a reciprocating piston connected with said table, a hydraulic pump mounted on said truck bed connected with a source of hydraulic fluid, a four way control valve connecting said pump with opposite ends of said cylinder through a pair of said tubular legs, respectively, for raising said rotary table to its uppermost position upon directing fluid through one of said legs to the lower end of said cylinder and move said table downwardly to its lowermost position upon directing fluid to the upper end of said cylinder through the other of said legs, and a second control valve connecting said pump with said hydraulic motors through another pair of said tubular legs for driving said motors and table in one direction when moved to one position and in the other direction when moved to the other position.

2. A portable drilling rig including a mast pivotally supported on a motor truck bed, means on upper portion of said said truck bed hydraulically operated to raise and lower said mast between horizontal and vertical positions, a rotary table for receiving a drill section, a supporting plate for said table slidably mounted on said mast for movement between raised and lowered positions, a pair of hydraulic motors mounted on said supporting plate operably connected with said table for rotating it,

a pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted in the upper portion of said mast each having a piston connected with said supporting plate, a hydraulic pump mounted on said truck bed connected with a source of hydraulic fluid, a four way control valve connecting said pump with a pair of tubular sections of said mast through a flexible hose connection, one of said tubular mast sections being connected with the upper ends of said cylinders and the other mast section being connected with the lower ends of said cylinders, a second control valve connecting said pump with the second pair of tubular mast sections through flexible hose connections and flexible hose connections connecting said tubular mast sections, respectively, with opposite sides of said hydraulic motors for hydraulically rotating said table in a drilling direction while being moved downwardly during the drilling operation and rotating it in the opposite direction upon completion of the drilling operation.

CHARLES BURY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,937,300 Thullen Nov. 128, 1933 2,139,973 Russell Dec. 13, 1938 2,188,107 Caldwell et a1 Jan. 23, 1940 2,200,075 Caldwell May 7, 1940 2,232,995 Caldwell Feb. 25, 1941 2,265,987 Anderson et al Dec. 16, 1941 2,276,016 Brantly Mar. 10, 1942 2,317,306 Smith Apr. 20. 1943 2,334,312 Caldwell Nov. 16, 1943 2,364,850 Johansen Dec. 12. 1944 

